The top four teams all lost; our weekly re-ordering of Major League Soccer teams, following 22 rounds of play:

19. D.C. United – A 2-1 loss at home combined with Toronto’s win cements United’s spot at the bottom for a while. But! … They did get a stadium deal done last week, and in the big picture that will be among the most meaningful bits of MLS news for 2013.

18. Toronto FC – A dramatic, late win over Columbus – the Reds still trailed in the 87th minute but rallied to take all three points – won’t help in a fruitless playoff bid, but was something to remember for 2013, at least. In fact, it was the first time TFC had won a league match inside its home ground in more than a year. Ain’t that something?

17. Chivas USA – The good feeling from last week’s streak-snapping win disappeared in a loss at Seattle, although the Goats didn’t look too bad in the 2-1 setback at CenturyLink Field.

16. Columbus – Having lost five of six, and considering the emotional blow of coming so close to a road win and then emerging without a single point in Toronto, you really have to wonder if the Crew can rally past all this and still make a playoff push?

15. San Jose Earthquakes – There was a wee bit of controversy with one of the goals, but a 2-1 win over Portland helped the Earthquakes creep up a little further in the table. They are just five points out of a playoff position at this point.

14. Houston Dynamo – A goal from a forward! The first since early May as Cam Weaver struck in a 1-1 draw at home with Chicago. Then again, draws at home won’t get it done for the two-time MLS runner-up; Dominic Kinnear’s team would not make the playoffs today.

13. Chicago Fire – Mike Magee’s 13th goal kept him tied for the league lead in scoring, and provided the important second-half equalizer in a 1-1 draw in Houston.

12. FC Dallas – Now that 22-year-old playmaker Mauro Diaz is in place, you have to wonder how long David Ferreira, struggling mightily now, will hold his place?

11. New England Revolution – We hear so much about the young Galaxy attackers, but what about 18-year-old Diego Fagundez, who has seven goals and four assists in 2013? That’s exceptional.

10. LA Galaxy – How badly does this team need Landon Donovan, Omar Gonzalez and Robbie Keane back in the lineup? The champs are just 4-5-1 since May, including last week’s 2-0 loss at Colorado.

9. Seattle Sounders – Is there some life left in Mauro Rosales, who had a big part in the team’s 2-1 win over Chivas USA? Eddie Johnson returns from Gold Cup duty this week.

8. Colorado Rapids – If you see any MLS rookie review that does not prominently include Clint Irwin, Dillon Powers and Deshorn Brown, dismiss it quickly and move on. Because those three young Rapids keep getting it done. They did again in a big 2-0 win over the LA Galaxy, which had dominated the teams’ series recently.

7. New York Red Bulls – The last 10 minutes of Saturday’s 4-3 win over Real Salt Lake must have been the most eventful this year throughout the league.

6. Philadelphia Union – Aided by a man-advantage for much of the match, Philly emerged with a 1-0 win at Vancouver. The Union is a highly respectable 4-4-3 on the road … and that is how teams make the playoffs.

5. Vancouver Whitecaps – What was Jun Marques Davidson thinking when he head-butted Philly’s Keon Daniel just 8 minutes into Saturday’s contest? Yes, Daniel was a bit naughty himself, but Davidson’s decision to pull a “Zidane” (pictured above) left his team a man down for more than 80 minutes.

4. Montreal Impact – The team’s home contest with Kansas City was as physical as you would expect. Blake Smith’s dramatic 96th minute goal sealed the deal for the Impact.

3. Real Salt Lake – Alvaro Saborio’s hat trick, just the fourth in MLS this year, will get a bit lost amid the disappointment of losing a late lead in the 4-3 setback at Red Bull Arena.

2. Sporting Kansas City – Sporting Park is the site of all things All-Star related this week as AS Roma comes calling for Wednesday’s big event. Only thing that would have made the week better around KC: if they had not conceded that 96th minute goal at Montreal last weekend (in a 1-0 loss).

1. Portland Timbers – Good for the Timbers, who refused to use a dodgy penalty decision as an excuse in a 2-1 loss at San Jose. Clearly, it wasn’t the best we’ve seen this year from Caleb Porter’s team, which seemed to miss midfield glue man Diego Chara.

I would say the penalty was the correct one, myself. Not one, but two Timbers players tripped the San Jose forward in the box and didn’t touch the ball, if that doesn’t deserve a penalty then I don’t know what does.